| During the 16th century, plants were being accurately
described and systematically categorized for the first time. New
plants were arriving in Europe from Asia and the New World. Among
the European nobility, there was a craze for cataloguing and collecting
natural specimens, including flowers. |
| The Holy Roman emperor Maximillian hired Carolus Clusius,
one of the leading botanists of the era, to oversee his botanical garden.
Clusius also worked for Rudolf II, Maximillian's successor. Clusius
is credited with introducing the tulip into Europe. Ever the scientist,
he tried the bulbs as a boiled vegetable (he wasn't impressed with the
taste) and reported that tulips had no medicinal value. |
 Bulb
plants were especially popular with the plant collectors. Bulbs are
easier to transport long distances than potted plants, and many bulb
plants produce showy, colorful flowers.
Spacious gardens were designed to show off plant collections.
The overall layout followed a geometrical pattern; small beds were separated
by hedges or paths. Each bed contained only a few plants, so visitors
could view and admire each flower. Theft was a problem.
What collectors couldn't buy or trade for, they would sometimes steal from
the garden of a rival.
Next - Early 1600s
Return
to Historical Overview |